COAL: Chicago officials are furious following the demolition of a smokestack at a former coal plant, which covered the surrounding Little Village neighborhood in dust on Saturday. (Chicago Sun-Times)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Ohio bills to slash EV fees and provide EV sales tax credits are among state legislation on hold across the country as lawmakers grapple with the coronavirus. (Energy News Network)
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PIPELINES:
• A federal pipeline agency tells an appeals court that it lacks discretion to require stronger environmental protections in spill response plans for the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. (E&E New, subscription)
• The Nebraska Supreme Court orders a new hearing in a dispute over who should pay the lawyer who represented landowners against the Keystone XL pipeline developer as it tried to gain access to their land. (Associated Press)
TRANSMISSION: A proposed underground transmission line through Iowa and Illinois and the Grain Belt Express are among several major projects across the U.S. that could expand renewable energy availability. (Greentech Media)
TRANSPORTATION: The Environmental Law and Policy Center says it will soon join other groups and states in filing suit against the Trump administration’s effort to rollback fuel economy standards. (MiBiz)
SOLAR: An Indiana school district approves a $3.5 million contract to install rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects at multiple facilities. (Madison Courier)
POLITICS: A letter from 17 Republican U.S. senators seeks to ensure that fossil fuel companies aren’t excluded from the coronavirus bailout program being administered by BlackRock. (Bloomberg Law)
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OIL & GAS: A planned oil conditioning facility in North Dakota would heat crude oil from the surrounding basin to reduce its vapor pressure and meet state rules for transporting it by rail or pipeline. (Williston Herald)
COMMENTARY:
• Solar development in designated rural Opportunity Zones can spur economic development, grow the local tax base and provide direct payments to landowners, says an Indiana advanced energy nonprofit. (Inside Indiana Business)
• The steep drop in gasoline demand has had a domino effect, also crushing U.S. demand for ethanol and corn, a Forbes columnist writes.